


Love is never easy

by LamiaDusk



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Teen Romance, a little OOC maybe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 21:19:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15693576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LamiaDusk/pseuds/LamiaDusk
Summary: Galatea "Gal" Ainsley starts her fifth year at Hogwarts, and everything seems fine. She has a long list of things she wants to accomplish, but Kissing Draco Malfoy is her top priority. He never paid much attention to her, but now, he suddenly seems oddly interested in her. While Galatea is happy that her feelings are seemingly being reciprocated, dark clouds are gathering over Hogwarts..





	Love is never easy

First day of my fifth year in Hogwarts. The morning started well; I had settled in the familiar girl's dorm once more, and I was determined to make this year count. I had a whole list of things I wanted to accomplish.  
My gaze wandered around until it found a familiar white-blonde head. My best friend Evanora occupied the bed next to mine, and with her pale hair, one could be forgiven for thinking she was related to Draco Malfoy.  
As soon as this name dropped in my thoughts, my eyes became hazy and I started smiling. I must have looked like a complete idiot, but Evie was used to that.  
„Hello, reality to Galatea!“ She waved her hand in front of my face. „You there?“ She was about to knock on my forehead when I caught her wrist.  
„I'm here, Evie. Just... in thoughts.“  
She lifted her gracefully curved eyebrow. „Oh? And what were you thinking about, if I may ask? No wait, let me guess. A certain blonde-haired guy who has been ignoring you for about four years now. Right?“  
I turned away, and she bit her lower lip.  
„Oh... I'm sorry. That sounded less mean in my head.“  
„It's okay. I know that Draco hasn't really paid much attention to me up until now.“ I turned to her again and smiled confidently. „But I intend to change that this year.“  
Now it was Evanora who looked to the side. „Oh dear.... I don't know how to tell you, but... I heard through the grapevine that he started dating Pansy Parkinson during the summer.“  
I looked at my best friend, almost comically slack-jawed. „What?“, I whispered. „What in Merlin's name does he see in her?“  
„Beats me. But hey, it's not like kissing Draco Malfoy was the only thing on your agenda, right?“  
I looked at my hands. „Of course not. It's not like I completely forgot about having any other goal the very moment I laid eyes on him. That would be crazy.“  
Evanora's reaction was absolutely deadpan. „Sweetheart, you need to go out more. Spend some time among people. Maybe meet a nice guy or girl who can make you forget about Malfoy. Someone who's actually nice and doesn't think that money or blood status is a substitute for personality.“  
„I don't care about the whole blood status thing anyway“, I said softly.  
„Yeah, don't let him hear that.“  
„And if we go out, people will most likely see you and completely ignore me.“  
I always kind of envied Evanora for her good looks. According to Camilla, her older sister, their great-grandmother was a Veela, and that's why she seemed so uneartly beautiful. I was far from ugly, but next to Evanora I felt like a chicken standing next to a swan.  
„Oh, don't give me that“, she dismissed me and pulled me to my feet. „Come on, I don't want to miss breakfast.“

I loved breakfast at Hogwarts, though that sentiment wasn't about the food. It was about the atmosphere, and the company. Speaking of company; Draco sat down right in front of me, Pansy clinging to his arm with seemingly no intention of letting go anytime soon.  
My heart immediately jumped. This was my chance. I had to talk to him. Say... anything.  
„Hi Draco. How were your summer holidays?“ Nailed it.  
„That's none of your business-!“ Pansy started.  
„Oh, hell, Pansy... it was nice, and yours?“ Draco looked at me, and suddenly seemed surprised. Like he saw me for the first time.  
„Uh, it was nice. I didn't do much. You know. Studying and stuff.“ And that was it. I couldn't think of anything more to say, and started to panic. This was the first real conversation I ever had with Draco, and I was about to mess it up.  
Evanora, bless her, came to the rescue:„Have you heard about that incident? You know, the one where that crazy old lady was protesting in front of the entrance of the ministry? I heard that the Obliviators had to work overtime to control the damage she had done. A lot of muggles saw her cast spells to prove she was worthy of being called a witch despite her parents being muggles. And the whole time, she was screaming about the concept of blood status being an excuse for pureblood families to be bigoted.“  
„Mudbloods will always find a reason to complain“, Draco said plainly, and I cringed at his causal use of such a cruel word.  
„My dad is an Obliviator“, I added softly. „According to him, they had to knock her out to take her away. She was screaming like a banshee the whole time. He said that all of this happened because of an experiment gone wrong, but wouldn't tell me what kind of experiment.“  
„Huh... that sounds intriguing... maybe a failed memory-spell?“ Draco hummed thoughtfully.  
Pansy, who had been pouting the entire time, tugged his arm. „Are you done eating now, Draco? We've got to get going, or we'll be late!“ Then she looked at Evanora and me in a way that could only be described as „murderous“.  
As soon as they were out of sight, I could hear Evanora say something that sounded like „What a stupid tart.“.  
She then pulled me to my feet. „Come on, let's go. I don't want to be late, either, and I'm curious about our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.“

The first few lessons were quite unremarkable. As a teacher, Umbridge was about as pleasant as listening to fingernails scratch across a chalkboard. She seemed to have it out for Harry Potter, like so many people at the moment. I would have never let Draco know, but I felt sorry for Potter. He already had enough problems without everyone hating him.  
Overall, the day went by calmly, and I was relieved once the last lesson was over. I completely forgot just how exhausting learning can be.  
Evanora and I went to the lake, where we sat underneath a tree and watched the surface of the water glitter in the afternoon-sun, occasionally disturbed by the tentacles of the giant squid trying to catch birds who were hunting for small fish and insects.  
For a while, we were just talking about this and that; our summer holidays, gossip, whatever came to mind, until suddenly, Evanora stood up and explained that had to go. She was gone before I could ask her why, but the answer soon sat down next to me, anyway.  
Draco looked terribly stressed, his pale cheeks reddened.  
„Hi.“  
„Hi Draco. Where's Pansy?“  
„Not here“, he huffed and leaned back. „Pansy and I, we... we've had a bit of an argument.“  
„That's strange. Just this morning, the two of you looked perfectly happy with each other.“  
He hesitated for a moment, looking at me and again I noticed how his eyes widened just a little. „We never were. She basically pestered me until I caved and began to date her. Which is a problem, because I got my eyes on someone else.“  
I sat up, suddenly suspicious. „Why are you telling me this?“ He had barely acknowledged my existence up until this day, and now he told me about his lovelife? This was just all kinds of wrong.  
For the first time, a light smile brightened his face. „Think about it.“ Then, he got up and left, leaving me more than confused.


End file.
